Students often use simple language in the GEPT speaking test, resulting in lower scores. This easy 1 hour lesson is a good way to get students to use more complicated adjectives when responding to GEPT questions.

1. Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Ask students, “What do you like to do on the weekends and why?” Quietly keep track of any weak adjectives that students use, like “good, interesting, nice…”

2. Point Out Boring Adjectives (5 minutes)

When students finish, write some of these weak adjectives on the board in the corner. Point out that these adjectives are often overused and you want them to use better adjectives. Keep these adjectives on the board, but draw a cross through them, indicating that they shouldn’t be used today.

3. Brainstorm More Interesting Adjectives (10 minutes)

Write [POSITIVE] and [NEGATIVE] on the board. Explain that you want students to write “good” adjectives and “bad” adjectives under these two categories, such as ugly or terrible under negative. Have the whole class stand up and everyone can write a word or two under each category.

4. Check the New Vocabulary (5 minutes)

Go through the words with the students. If the adjectives they’ve written are too simple, then elicit a few more advanced ones. Check that students understand the meaning of all the adjectives on the board.

5. Practice Answering a GEPT Question (5 minutes)

Now write the question, “How do you feel about school?” on the board. Demonstrate answering this question in 15 seconds using some of the adjectives. Have a few students practice this question as well.

6. Listen to Your Partner’s Responses (10 minutes)

Finally tell students that they will practice some GEPT questions and their peers will be grading their answers, so they should work hard not to use weak adjectives. Explain how to fill in the Suggestions Sheet. Then pass out the Suggestions Sheet and pair up the students.

Note to the teacher: Some students will be reluctant to write anything about their partner and some will be all too willing. Make sure to briefly discuss being kind but honest before allowing students to give their peers suggestions. In classes where the teacher believes students won’t offer their partners’ any suggestions, you can impose a small penalty for writing too little, such as having to answer a GEPT question directly to the teacher before leaving at the end of class.

For the speaking use the questions below.

Project three questions onto the board (or quickly write them on the board). One person in the pair asks each question, their partner responds, and the person who asked the questions writes down the suggestions for their partner. After they’ve finished, the listener can share their suggestions to the speaker. Then students can swap roles for the next set of questions. Remind students that they should try to speak for 10-15 seconds per question (not longer).

As students are speaking, the teacher should also jot down any notes on areas where they need improvement or grammar problems.

7. Switch Partners (10-20 minutes)

After the partners have each finished speaking and offering suggestions, reorganize the students and let them repeat the procedure with a new partner. After those partners have finished, let students switch partners again, and repeat once more.

8. Whole Class Feedback (10 minutes)

Now the teacher can share feedback. The teacher should write the most common errors on the board. The teacher can also look at the students notes for any grammar errors. The class can work together to correct them.

9. If You Have More Time

If there are a few minutes left in class, call on individuals to answer questions out loud in front of their peers. This is a good way to give students a little extra practice under a bit more pressure.

Provide feedback again if necessary.

That’s it! Hopefully your students can give slightly longer and more interesting answers to the GEPT independent speaking questions after completing this lesson.

Want more fun speaking questions? Try 10 TEFL/ESL Conversation Topics for Teenagers.